Notes: for More Information Or Additional Materials, Please Contact the Innovation Academy

Grade Level / 7th Grade / Unit Length / 10 Days
Unit Overview / This unit will approach transportation from the perspective of what motivates humans to transport themselves from one place to another: utilitarian transportation (the desire to arrive at a particular destination), competitive transportation (the desire to travel in the fastest or most stylish manner possible), and innovative transportation (the desire to travel in a way that has never been done before).
Unit Essential Question(s) / Essential Question #1: How can the study of transportation allow us to better understand our physical environment and the laws governing motion?
Essential Question #2: How can the study of transportation help us learn about where our society has been and our role in where it is going? How are competitive, utilitarian, and innovation motivations reflected in the development of transportation?
Essential Question #3: What is the effect of engineering and technology on transportation?
Culminating Events / The Last Great Race Project
This project day will center on Alaska’s historic Iditarod sled dog race. Students will begin with a blank map of Alaska and plot the Iditarod course using the actual coordinates of checkpoints, analyzing the route based on changes in elevation and topography. Students will answer a constructed response math question applying the map’s scale to the distance travelled. To complete the project, students will create a map of Tennessee using the same scale, complete with the five regions and three major rivers. Students will use this project as a launching point for monitoring the progress of the mushers in math class as the race progresses.
Friction, Insulation, Efficiency, Adaptive/Assisted Bioengineering
Common Assessment / / STEM Project Rubric / Project Title: The Last Great Race
Student Name: ______
Date:
Advanced / Proficient / Needs Improvement
Math
Component / Line of best fit has been positioned properly. All data is plotted. Rate of change is well documented / All data has been plotted. Line of best fit is straight and the rate of change has been found based on a right triangle / Line of best fit is not “well balanced”. Not all data has been plotted. Rate of change not found.
Science Component
Velocity calculations / Students completed 100 to 90% of the provided calculations correctly and showed all steps of their work. (step by step) / Students completed 100 to 90% of the provided calculations correctly but did not show all of their work. (step by step)
OR
Students completed between 89 and 70% of the provided calculations correctly showed all of their work. / Students completed less than 70% of the provided calculations correctly and may or may not have shown all of their work. (step by step)
Pedigree / Students accurately completed the provided pedigree chart with fewer than 2 mistakes.
The chart was completed neatly and legibly. / Students accurately completed the provided pedigree chart with fewer than 4 mistakes.
The chart was completed legibly. / Students completed the provided pedigree chart with 5 or more mistakes.
The chart was illegible and sloppy.
Social Studies
Component
Iditarod Trail Map / The student correctly plots 100% of the Iditarod Checkpoints. / The student correctly plots at least 85% of the Iditarod checkpoints. / The student correctly plots at least 70% of the
Social Studies
Component
Elevation Profile / The student completes the elevation profile table (Table B) with 100% accuracy and plots the points on a scatter plot. / The student completes the elevation profile table (Table B) with 85% accuracy and plots the points on a scatter plot. / The student completes the elevation profile table (Table B) with 70% accuracy and plots the points on a scatter plot.
ELA Component:
Essay length and completion / o  Each student completed the essay component.
o  Each student has 5 paragraphs. / o  Each student completed the essay component.
o  Each student had at least 4 paragraphs. / o  At least 2 students completed the essay component.
ELA Component:
Supporting Examples in Writing / o  Each student has 2 specific supporting examples from the essay and the examples are underlined. / o  Each student has 1 specific supporting example from the essay and the examples are underlined. / o  Each student essay completed has at least 2 paragraphs.
Unit Objectives / I can support my claims with logical reasoning and relevant evidence while also acknowledging alternate or opposing claims.
Strands (main ideas taught in unit)
ELA / Language
Reading Informational Text
Math / Rational expressions and their operations
Science / Inquiry
Engineering / Technology
Motion
Heredity
Social Studies / Economics
Geography
Vocabulary
ELA / 1.  Adjective – a word that describes a noun, pronoun, or another adjective
2.  Adverb – a word that describes a verb or another adverb
3.  Comparative – when two objects, people, or things are involved, the comparative form shows varying degrees
4.  Superlative – when three objects, people, or things are involved, the comparative form shows varying degrees
5.  Proper adjective – an adjective derived from a proper noun
Math / 1.  Rational number – the ratio of two integers such that zero cannot be the denominator.
2.  Rational expression – the ratio of two polynomials such that the domain is restricted from causing the denominator to evaluate to a value of zero.
3.  Domain – the set of values that can be used for the independent variable in a relation/function.
4.  Polynomial – a term or the addition of one or more terms consisting of a constant or a constant times one or more variables.
5.  Ratio – two values in a relationship providing their fractional amount in comparison to one another.
Science / 1.  Inertia – the tendency of a body to resist acceleration; the tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest or of a body in straight line motion to stay in motion in a straight line unless acted on by an outside force.
2.  Friction – a force that resists the relative motion or tendency to such motion of two bodies or substances in contact.
3.  Speed – the rate or a measure of the rate of motion, especially:
a.  Distance traveled divided by the time of travel.
b.  The limit of this quotient as the time of travel becomes vanishingly small; the first derivative of distance with respect to time.
c.  The magnitude of a velocity.
4.  Velocity – a vector quantity whose magnitude is a body's speed and whose direction is the body's direction of motion.
5.  Acceleration – the rate of change of velocity with respect to time.
Social Studies / 1.  Law of Supply – as the price of a good or service rises, the quantity of the good or service also rises.
2.  Law of Demand – as the price of good increases, the quantity of that demanded good decreases.
3.  Market Economy – an economic system where the production of goods and services is determined by supply and demand.
4.  Prime Meridian – the line of longitude that runs through Greenwich, England, and represents 0 degrees on the globe; also the line from which other lines of longitude are reckoned
5.  International Dateline – the line of longitude located at 180 degrees on the globe, marking the place where the date changes if one is traveling around the globe; to the east of the line the date is a day earlier than it is to the west.
Key Questions
ELA / Math / Science / Social Studies
·  What are comparative/superlative adjectives?
·  What are comparative/superlative adverbs?
·  What are phrases?
·  What are clauses?
·  How do I present logical evidence clearly?
·  How do I use text support to find context definitions? / ·  How can I simplify a rational expression?
·  How can I multiply a rational expression?
·  How can I divide rational expressions?
·  How can I add and subtract rational expressions ?
·  How can I identify the graph of a rational function? / ·  What are Newton’s Laws?
·  What is inertia?
·  How do Newton’s Laws of motion explain an object’s motion?
·  How do I calculate net force?
·  How are balanced and unbalanced forces similar and dissimilar?
·  What do speed and acceleration have in common and how are they different?
·  What is the relationship between speed, velocity, distance, and time?
·  How do I calculate work, force, and power?
·  What are the six simple machines?
·  What is the function of each simple machine? / ·  What are the economic systems found throughout the world?
·  What is the relationship between supply and demand?
·  How are supply and demand demonstrated in modern transportation?
·  How did transportation lead to the development of time zones?
· 
Hook for Unit / The Iditarod Race was started as a way to help keep sled dogs an important part of Alaska’s present and future. Long ago, the sled dogs played an important role by being a means of transportation for the people living in Alaska. Sled dogs played an important role during the gold rush, in helping to deliver mail, and bringing supplies to remote areas of Alaska. One of the most memorable roles the dogs played was being a part of a relay team that delivered medicine to Nome. With technology, (snowmobile and airplanes) the need for the dogs was less. Iditarod was started to celebrate the historic role of sled dogs and keep them a part of Alaska today and always.
The hook for this unit will allow students the opportunity to relive the famous serum run of the winter of 1925. At the beginning of the unit, students will have the opportunity to play The Serum Run Game, a creation of the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
Materials Needed for Culminating Event / Iditarod: Poster-size maps of Alaska
Rulers
Markers
Geographic coordinates of checkpoints
Informational Text Component / The informational text component for this unit is a group of articles about the Iditarod, sled dogs, training, and other aspects of the race that will be beneficial for students to learn about before the project day. The articles are “A Sled Dog Life,” “An Appetite for Running,” “From Pup to Champion,” “is the Iditarod for the Dogs?,” “Training,” “The Trail,” and “Family Life.” Through these articles, students will find the meanings of words in context, search for various forms of adjectives and adverbs, and enjoy learning about the Iditarod for the culminating event.
Writing Closure / For the writing closure of this unit, students will reflect upon the content that they have learned in each subject area and in the culminating event. Then, students will use the graphic organizer to create a list of 5 important facts to remember that they have learned from each content area and 5 important concepts that they have learned on the day of the culminating event. As students reflect upon these lists, they will remember what they have learned and explain it in detail through the graphic organizers. Finally, students will choose the one important concept that can be applied directly to their future. They will write one paragraph describing how this concept will apply to their future and benefit them.
Standards: Common Core Standards, Tennessee State Standards
ELA
Common Core Standards. / CC.7.L.1.a Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
CC.7.L.1.c Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.
CC.7.W.1.a Introduce claims, acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CC.7.W.1.b Support claims with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
CC.7.W.1.e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
CC.7.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources.
CC.7.SL.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples
CC.7.SL.4 Use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
CC.7.SL.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
CC.7.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Math
Common Core Standards. / A.APR.6 - Rewrite simple rational expressions in different forms; write a(x) b(x) in the form q(x) +r(x)b(x), where a(x), b(x), q(x), and r(x) are polynomials with the degree of r(x) less than the degree of b(x), using inspection, long division, or, for the more complicated examples, a computer algebra system.
A.APR.7 – Understand that rational expressions form a system analogous to the rational numbers, closed under addition, substraction, multiplication, and division by a nonzero rational expression; add, subtract, multiply, and divide rational expressions.
Science
Tennessee State Standards. / Embedded Inquiry
-  GLE 0707.Inq.1 Design and conduct open-ended scientific investigations.
-  SPI 0707.Inq.1 Design a simple experimental procedure with an identified control and appropriate variables.
-  GLE 0707.Inq.2 Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, organize, analyze, and interpret data.
-  SPI 0707.Inq.2 Select tools and procedures needed to conduct a moderately complex experiment.
-  GLE 0707.Inq.3 Synthesize information to determine cause and effect relationships between evidence and explanations.
-  SPI 0707.Inq.3 Interpret and translate data in a table, graph, or diagram.
-  GLE 0707.Inq.4 Recognize possible sources of bias and error, alternative explanations, and questions for further exploration.
-  SPI 0707.Inq.4 Draw a conclusion that establishes a cause and effect relationship supported by evidence.
-  GLE 0707.Inq.5 Communicate scientific understanding using descriptions, explanations, and models.
-  SPI 0707.Inq.5 Identify a faulty interpretation of data that is due to bias or experimental error.
Technology and Engineering
-  GLE 0707.T/E.1 Explore how technology responds to social, political, and economic needs.
-  SPI 0707.T/E.1 Identify the tools and procedures needed to test the design features of a prototype.
-  GLE 0707.T/E.2 Know that the engineering design process involves an ongoing series of events that incorporate design constraints, model building, testing, evaluating, modifying, and retesting.
-  SPI 0707.T/E.2 Evaluate a protocol to determine if the engineering design process was successfully applied.
-  GLE 0707.T/E.3 Compare the intended benefits with the unintended consequences of a new technology.
-  SPI 0707.T/E.3 Distinguish between the intended benefits and the unintended consequences of a new technology.
-  GLE 0707.T/E.4 Describe and explain adaptive and assistive bioengineered products.
-  SPI 0707.T/E.4 Differentiate between adaptive and assistive engineered products (e.g., food, biofuels, medicines, integrated pest management).
Motion
-  GLE 0707.11.1 Identify six types of simple machines.
-  SPI 0707.11.1 Differentiate between the six simple machines.
-  GLE 0707.11.2 Apply the equation for work in experiments with simple machines to determine the amount of force needed to do work.
-  SPI 0707.11.2 Determine the amount of force needed to do work using different simple machines.
-  GLE 0707.11.3 Distinguish between speed and velocity.
-  SPI 0707.11.3 Apply proper equations to solve basic problems pertaining to distance, time, speed, and velocity.
-  GLE 0707.11.4 Investigate how Newton’s laws of motion explain an object’s movement.
-  SPI 0707.11.4 Identify and explain how Newton’s laws of motion relate to the movement of objects.
-  GLE 0707.11.5 Compare and contrast the basic parts of a wave.
-  SPI 0707.11.5 Compare and contrast the different parts of a wave.
-  GLE 0707.11.6 Investigate the types and fundamental properties of waves.
SPI 0707.11.6 Differentiate between transverse and longitudinal waves in terms of how they are produced and transmitted.
Social Studies
Tennessee State Standards. / Grade Level Expectations:
-  2.01 Understand fundamental economic concepts and their application to a variety of economic systems.
-  2.02 Understand global economic connections, conflicts, and interdependence.
-  Understand the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies.
-  3.03 Understand the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of Earth’s surface.
Student Performance Indicators:
-  7.3.spi.1. Identify and use the basic elements of maps and mapping.
-  7.3.spi.6. Locate on a map specific lines of longitude and latitude. (i.e., Prime Meridian, International Date Line, Equator, North and South Poles, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic Antarctic circles).
-  7.3.spi.15 Interpret a map indicating scale, distance and direction.
-  7.2.spi.1. recognize basic economic concepts (i.e. imports, exports, barter system, tariffs, closed and emerging markets, supply and demand, inflation, recession, depression).
-  7.2.spi.4. interpret economic issues as expressed with maps, tables, diagrams, and charts

Notes: For more information or additional materials, please contact the Innovation Academy.